Net Zero Week in Parliament

Members of the Environmental Policy Forum (EPF) were delighted to recently meet with Lauren, the Labour MP for Rochester and Strood, and Co-Chair of the Skills, Careers and Employment All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG).

Taking place within the wider Net Zero Week in Parliament programme (7^th – 9^th July) alongside a range of other events, our event focused on the crucial, underpinning role that green jobs and skills play on the roadmap to net zero, whilst also boosting economic growth.

The roundtable kicked off with Lauren setting out how passionate she is about green skills delivery, including through her role as Co-Chair of the Skills APPG. Lauren emphasised that having the skilled people to carry out the green jobs of today and the future, underpins delivery of all the UK’s environmental commitments.

From there, EPF Chair Professor William Pope stressed the vital role of the forum as a coalition of interdisciplinary professional bodies and learned societies. Collectively, the EPF works to influence UK environmental policy on behalf of our members, who are qualified professionals. Professor Pope noted that the EPF has gained cross-sector consensus on the ten environmental priorities which policymakers must urgently address. Green skills has been identified as a vital, cross-cutting priority and must be at the forefront of any delivery plan.

There followed a series of case studies from EPF member bodies, demonstrating solutions to the cross-sector green skills challenge:

• Amanda Williams, Head of Environmental Sustainability, Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) highlighted the findings of CIOB’s recent skills report and the importance of implementing flexible, creative, and accessible training delivery methods for existing workers in the construction sector.  
• Dr Emma Wilcox, Chief Executive, Society for the Environment (SocEnv), discussed SocEnv’s activity to improve green career opportunities, through quality apprenticeships mapped to professional registration. Emma also stressed that many businesses need support to offer apprenticeships.
• Jonathan Ellis, Director of Membership & Professional Standards, Landscape Institute (LI), noted the value of careers advice in raising the profile and status of green skills within education and careers.
• Katie Cockburn, Senior Director of Policy, Media and Education, Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM), touched on how CIWM are working to boost the appeal and attractiveness of the resources and waste sector.

Attention then turned to discussion of our specific asks of policymakers, to be achieved with the support of industry, in order to unlock the enormous social, economic, and environmental potential of green jobs and skills:

• Douglas Lewns, Policy Officer, Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (CIEEM), spoke about the need for publication of a green jobs plan that maps out the action that is required across sectors to develop the green workforce of the future. This plan should be underpinned by a dedicated Green Skills Fund.
• Sarah Mukherjee, CEO, Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA), highlighted the urgent need to embed and incentivise green skills throughout the national curriculum and lifelong learning programmes. Sarah also touched on the IEMA-led programme the Diverse Sustainability Initiative, which works to improve diversity and inclusion across the sustainability profession, through education, connection, and transparency.
• Peter Egan, Chair, Institution of Royal Engineers (InstRE) Sustainability Forum, raised the importance of establishing a permanent, green skills focused, cross-government body, to take a strategic, joined-up approach to green jobs delivery. Stressing the need for long-term policy consistency in order for industry to plan and invest, Peter also raised concerns regarding the recent Government decision not to continue both the Public Sector Low Carbon Skills Fund (LCSF) and The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS).

Also discussed was the need to support careers transition from the oil and gas / automotive sectors towards the green industries, including those with key skills like welders, fabricators and steel erectors that are essential to a greener future.

It was great to have consensus around the table on the key priorities for boosting green skills. We are really grateful to Lauren for meeting with us and taking on board our asks, in particular the need for engagement with the Skills Mission Board and the need for a Green Jobs Plan, dedicated Green Skills Fund and long-term policy consistency to ensure investment.

We are grateful to fellow EPF member, the The Institute of Fisheries Management (IFM), for meeting the cost of the refreshments.

To find out more about the EPF’s priorities for policymakers, please visit our priorities page.

If you have any questions about the EPF or our activity, please get in touch with the EPF Secretary, Sarah Ridgeon: [email protected]